Often students need to take several prerequisite courses before being admitted to nursing school. These courses may include an English or composition course, and science classes such as chemistry and microbiology. Other possible classes include psychology, statistics, communication and human anatomy.
You are likely to be required to take classes about the health of adult patients in general, as well as more specific patient types, such as women and children. These courses prepare you to handle the different types of patients you will encounter in your career. Each type may need to be cared for with a different approach.
Maternity courses focus on the health of women who are expecting a child. You may learn how to interact with pregnant women and what is required to keep women and their fetuses safe. Some potential topics are high-risk pregnancy, reproductive health, and care for the woman during and after the pregnancy.
Nurses often must administer medications to patients. A pharmacology course is required to help potential nurses understand drug types and administration methods. Some hospital nurses tend to patients before and after surgery. A surgical course teaches nurses about the systems of the body, including neurological, respiratory and musculoskeletal systems.
Not all nurses work with patients who require physical medical attention. In mental health courses, students learn how mental illness is diagnosed and treated. Students must also learn how to interact with mentally ill patients.
Although learning about the physical and mental needs of patients is important, nurses must also learn how to interact with and manage medical staff. Potential nurses learn how to manage conflict and develop leadership skills.